Center fill pipe



F. E. BUSCHBOM CENTER FILL PIPE Dec. 2, 1.969

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1967 INVENTOR.

Y4 FLOYD E. BUSCHBOM ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 F. E. BUSCHBOM 3,481,496

CENTER FILL PIPE Filed Nov. 15, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FLOYD E. BUSCHBOM mag/4415mm Wmkfiw? ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 'F. s. BUSCHBOM I 3,481,496

CENTER FILL PIPE 3-Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Nov. 15, 1967 m E T N 6 w R 6 Va w W U T B RA E. W 0/ D a 2 m M L F BY .Ba/wl,

United States Patent Int. Cl. A011? 25/16 U.S. Cl. 214-17 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An articulated three piece center fill pipe supporting a silage distributor in the center area of a tower silo. The fill pipe has a cable and winch assembly cooperating with balancing arms for holding the distributor in assembled relation with a mount on the discharge end of the exit portion of the fill pipe and holding the exit portion in an extended position. A hinge assembly carrying the arms pivotally connects the exit portion with the intermediate portion of the fill pipe. The hinge assembly is connected by a support to a tripod mounted on the silo wall.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION In the filling of a tower silo with the silage it is important that a substantially even homogeneous distribution of the silage in the silo be maintained. Distributing machines have been developed to spread silage as it is discharged into the silos. These machines are normally located adjacent the discharge ends of a curved fill pipe and supported on separate frames extended out from the silo wall. The patent to Smiley et al. No. 3,262,586 shows this type fill pipe and distributor arrangement. The separate distributor supporting frames have been eliminated by mounting the distributors on the fill pipe. U.S. Patents 'No. 3,206,044, No. 3,251,632 and No. 3,337,065 are examples of distributors mounted on the fill pipe.

In the use of long fill pipes which discharge the silage substantially in the center of the silo the terminal end of the fill pipe interferes with the raising and lowering of the conventional top unloading silo unloader. The fill pipe and distributor both must be removed from the silo to permit the movement of the silo unloader into an operative position relative to the surface of the silage. Mounting of the distributor on the terminal or exit end of the fill pipe places considerable Weight and stress on the fill pipe reducing the elfectiveness and stability of the distributor. The fill pipe and distributor combination of the present invention is articulated center fill pipe carrying a distribuor. The end section of the fill pipe can be moved to a position to allow the silo unloader to be lowered into an operative position on the top of the ensilage in the silo Also, the distributor can be lowered in the silo from the end of the fill pipe without the use of separate structures and without manually uncoupling a distributor mount.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention relates to an articulated center fill pipe for directing moving material into the center area of a silo. The fill pipe has an exit section connected with a hinge assembly to the discharge portion of a member used to receive material and direct material toward the center of the silo. The exit section of the fill pipe pivots to an extended position and to a retracted position in response to movement of an arm means connected to the exit section and pivotally mounted at its mid-portion. A force transmitting means cooperates with the arm means and the exit portion from moving the exit portion from a retracted position to an extended position and holding the exit portion in the extended position. The force trans- 3,481,496 Patented Dec. 2, 1969 mitting means also holds a distributor in assembled relation with the end section of the fill pipe and provides a balancing force acting on the arm means to transfer the weight of the distributor to a support. The force transmitting means comprises a cable which cooperates with the arm means and a mount for holding a silage distributor under the discharge end of the exit portion of the fill pipe.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is an elevational view partly sectioned showing a center fill pipe mounted on the top of a silo in combination with a silage distributor;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the center fill pipe of FIGURE 1 showing the discharge spout in full lines in an extended position and in broken lines in a folded position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE '2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the hinge assembly for the discharge spout of the fill pipe;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the distributor mount; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged elevational view taken along the line 88 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIGURE 1 a tower silo 10 storing bulk material 11, as ensilage, haylage, grain and the like. Mounted on the top of the silo 10 is an upwardly projected tripod 12 carrying a suspended top unloading silo unloader 13. During the filling of the silo the silo unloader 13 is normally elevated to the top of the silo by the use of a cable trained over a pulley carried on the top of the tripod. The material discharged into the silo is directed to the center area of the by an articulated center fill pipe, indicated generally at 14, connected to an upright tube 16 located along the outside of the silo. Tube 16 is mounted on a machine used to force bulk material up the tube through the fill pipe and to a distributor indicated generally at 17. Operation of the distributor 17 evenly spreads the material around the silo so that the top of the material in the silo is substantially level during the filling of the silo. A winch 18 mounted on the supporting frame for the fill pipe is used to hold the fill pipe in an extended position, raise and lower the distributor, and hold the distributor in assembled relation with the discharged end of the fill pipe.

A support indicated generally at 21 mounts the inlet or entrance end of fill pipe 14 to the silo Wall. As shown in FIGURES l and 8, support 21 comprises a pair of parallel upright frame members 22 secured to the hoops of the silo by fastening members 23, as U bolts or the like. Projected outwardly from frame members 22 are a pair of legs 24 carrying a cross member 26. Winch 18 is mounted on the mid-portion of cross member 26. Fill pipe 14 has an upright inlet tube 27 carried by the support 21. The lower end of tube 27 has a circular flange used to accommodate fasteners used to connect the upright tube 16 to tube 27 so that the material moving up tube 16 is directed into tube 27 and the first or entrance section 28 of the fill pipe 14. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, entrance section 28 curves upwardly and inwardly terminating in an outer upper end having a generally inverted U-shape. Pivotally mounted on the upper end of section 28 is a second or intermediate section 29 extended radially toward the center of the silo. Referring to FIGURE 3, a pair of pivot bolt and nut assemblies 31 pivotally connect opposite sides of the first section 28 to the second section 29. Intermediate section 29 is an elongated broadly curved member having a generally inverted U-shaped cross section forming a channel open to the inside of the silo. The outer end of section 29 fits over the upper end of entrance section 28. The outer end of the second section 29 has arcuate slots 32 which cooperate with the nut and bolt assemblies 33 to secure the second section in a fixed position relative to the first section and permit the second section 2-9 to be angularly adjusted in an upright direction.

Projected radially from the discharge end of the second section 29 is a third or end inverted U-shaped and arcuate section 34 terminating in the area of the center of the silo. A hinge assembly indicated generally at 36 pivotally connects the adjacent ends of sections 29 and 34 and mounts the sections on an upright support 37 connected to the tripod 12. Third section 34 includes an upright U-shaped member 38 carrying a distributor mount indicated generally at 39. As shown in FIGURE 6, a pair of pivot members 41 connect U-shaped member 38 to the discharge end of section 34 so that the material moving from the fill pipe is directed downwardly into the silo. Pivotally attached to opposite sides of U-shaped member 38 are upwardly and outwardly directed arms 42 and 43 extended adjacent the opposite sides of the fill pipe 14. The upper ends of the arms 42 and 43 cooperate with a cable 44 extended from winch 18 to hold the distributor 17 in assembled relation with distributor mount 39, to hold the third section 34 in an extended relation so that the distributor is generally along the upright center line of the silo as well as transfer the weight of the distributor to the support 37.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, there is shown hinge assembly 36 pivotally mounting the third section 34 to the outer end of the second section 29 of the fill pipe 14. Hinge assembly 36 comprises a pair of bell cranks 46 located on opposite sides of the fill pipe. Each bell crank 46 has a generally horizontal leg 47 and a downwardly projected leg 48. Pivots 49 connect the mid-portions of legs 47 to the end of second section 2 9. The side walls of section 29 have upwardly curved slots 51 which coact with guide member or pins 52 secured to the ends of leg 47 to control the pivoting of the crank arm about the pivots 49. The apex portions of bell cranks 46 are pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the third section 34 whereby the hinge assembly pivotally connects both fill pipe sections 29 and 34. Pivot pins 49 are connected to the bottom legs of a H-shaped member 54 extended across the top section 29. The top legs of the H-shaped member are secured to an upright plate 56 carrying an upright post 57. Located adjacent the upper end of post 57 is a horizontal semi-circular member 58 secured to a pair of legs of the tripod by fasteners 59, as U bolts or the like. An upright brace 61 connects the lower end of post 57 to the member 58 to stabilize the post. The semicircular member 59 is connected through a chain or cable 62 to the top of the tripod as shown in FIGURE 2. A bracket 63 secured to the upper end of post 57 is attached by nut and bolt assemblies 64 to the mid-portion of the semi-circular member 58 thereby locating the upright support 37 and the hinge assembly 36 outwardly of the center line of the silo.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the mid-sections of arms 42 and 43 have upright tabs 66 carrying transverse pivot bolts 67 pivotally connecting the lower ends of legs 48 to the arms 42 and 43. As shown in FIGURE 6, the lower ends of arms 42 and 43 are connected by transverse pivot members 69 and 71 to opposite sides of the U-shaped member 38. Returning to FIGURE 4, the opposite or upper ends of arms 42 and 43 are inter-connected with a transverse rod 72 carrying a pulley 73 for cable 44. Cable 44 is trained over pulley 73 and extends downwardly towards the distributor mount 39 to hold the distributor in assembled relation with the distributor mount.

Returning to FIGURE 1, the distributor 17 is an orbit type power driven machine having a generally caliper or C-shaped frame 74 extended downwardly from the mount 39. The lower portion of frame 74 carries an orbi drlve mechanism 76 and a crank arm 77. A torque arm 78 extended laterally from drive mechanism 76 confines the movement of the orbit drive mechanism to an orbit path. Extended over the orbit drive mechanism 76 is a generally horizontal spinner disc 79 which rotates about its axis and revolves about the orbit axis of the distributor. This concurrent spinning and orbiting of the disc 79 evenly spreads the material 19 discharged from the fill pipe into the silo 10. The details of the distributor 17 are described in copending application Ser. No. 683,355, filed Nov. 15, 1967. This type of distributor is described by way of an example of a machine usable to spread material discharged into the silo through the center fill pipe. Other distributors capable of scattering the material in the silo can be used with the articulated center fill pipe of the invention.

Referring to FIGURES 6 and 7, the distributor mount 39 comprises an upright tubular member 81 attached to the back of member 38 by an upright rib 82. Mounted on the top of member 81 is a pulley 83 for directing the cable 44 down into the tubular member 81. A sleeve 84 telescoped in the tubular member 81 is retained in the upper portion of member 81 by a bolt 85 having a roller 86 located adjacent the bottom of inner sleeve 84. Sleeve 84 has a biased or diagonal lower edge 87 used to locate the distributor frame 75 in the plane of the center fill pipe 14 and directed outwardly from the end of section 34. Secured to the upper end of frame 75 is an upright cross head 88 carrying an upwardly projected male tube '89. The upper end of tube 89 has a downwardly biased or diagonal edge 91 having substantially the same incline as diagonal edge 87. The lower portion of edge 91 cooperates with roller 86 to prevent turning of tube 89 relative to member 81. The end of cable 44 is secured to a cross pin 92 extended through the cross head 88 and lower end of tube 89.

As shown in FIGURE 2, cable 44 extends through the outer or female tube 81 over pulley 73 mounted on the end of arms 42 and 43. Immediately above the winch 18 cable 44 passes through a guide 93 secured to fill pipe support 21. Winch 18 has the drum 94 for receiving the cable 44 rotatably mounted on a frame 96 secured to the cross member 26. The drum is rotated through the use of a crank handle 97 to either wind or unwind the cable. Winch 18 can be mounted on or near the base of the silo so that it can be operated from the ground.

In use, with the silo empty the distributor 17 is placed in the inside of the silo and attached to cable 44. When the tension on cable 44 is relieved the end section 34 of the fill pipe pivots downwardly as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2. The balancing arms 42 and 43 being connected to member 38 move to an upright position adjacent support 37. Both the end section 34 and arms 42 and 43 are pivotally carried on the pivot members 49 connecting the hinge assembly 36 to the H-shaped member 54 of the support 37. The hinge assembly 36 and arms 42 and 43 cooperate to maintain U-shaped member 38 in an upright position at all times between the extended and retracted positions of the discharge section 34. With the end section 34 in the down or retracted position the silo unloader 13 can be raised to the top of the silo and held there during the filling of the silo without interference from the fill pipe or distributor.

On operation of the winch 18, the cable 44 is placed under tension due to the weight of the distributor 17. This places a downward force on the pulley 73 causing the outer end section 34 of the fill pipe to move to the extended full line position as shown in FIGURE 2. The chain 74 being attached to the support 37 and the rod 72 functions as a stop link preventing further downward movement of the upper end of the arms 42 and 43. The length of the chain 72 fixes the extended position of the outer section 34 placing the discharge U- shaped member 38 generally along the central axis 01; the $110, By adjusting the chain leng h, he loca i n f member 38 relative to the center of the silo can be changed.

Referring to FIGURE 7, as the cable 44 is wound on the drum 94, the male tube 89 telescopes upwardly into the tubular member 81 until the mating diagonal edges 87 and 91 are in engagement positioning the distributor to the hinge assembly 36 and support 37 so from the end section 34. The arms 42 and 43 being connected to member 38 transmit the weight of the distributor to the hinge assembly 36 and support 37 so that the outer end of section 34 is subjected to a minimum of twisting and bending forces. The winch 18 is locked in this position thereby holding the male tube 89 in assembled relation with the female tube 81 and at the same time holding the outer section 34 in the extended position. The distributor 17 can be lowered by merely reversing the winch 18 whereupon the male tube 89 will move out of the tubular member 81.

While there have been shown, described a preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is defined in the following claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A fill pipe for directing moving materials into a silo comprising: first means for directing moving material toward the center area of a silo, second means receiving the moving material from the first means for directing said material in a downwardly direction into the silo, a hinge assembly pivotally coupling the second means with the first means for movement to an extended position and to a retracted position, arm means connected to a portion of the second means spaced from the hinge assembly, third means connecting a portion of the arm means to the hinge assembly, and fourth means cooperating with the arm means and second means for moving the second means from a retracted position to the extended position and holding the second means in the extended position.

2. The fill pipe of claim 1 wherein said first means comprises an upright section and an elongated generally lateral intermediate section, means pivotally mounting the lateral intermediate section on the upright section and support means for securing the upright section to a SllO wall.

3. The fill pipe of claim 1 including support means for mounting the hinge assembly on a silo wall.

4. A fill pipe for directing moving materials into a silo comprising: first means for directing moving material toward the center area of a silo, second means receiving the moving material from the first means for directing said material in a downwardly direction into the silo, a hinge assembly pivotally coupling the second means with the first means for movement to an extended position and to a retracted position, arm means connected to a port1on of the second means spaced from the hinge assembly, third means pivotally mounting a mid-portion of the arm means, fourth means cooperating with the arm means and the second means for moving the second means from a retracted position to an extended position and holding the second means in the extended position, and support means for mounting the hinge assembly on the silo wall, said support means includes a tripod mounted on the silo wall and means connecting the hinge assembly to the tripod.

5. The fill pipe of claim 1 wherein said hinge assembly has leg means, said third means including pivot means on said leg means pivotally connecting a mid-portion of the arm means to the hinge assembly.

6. A fill pipe for directing moving materials into a silo comprising: first means for directing moving material toward the center area of a silo, second means receiving the moving material from the first means for directing said material in a downwardly direction into the silo, a hinge assembly pivotally coupling the second means with the first means for movement to an extended position and to a retracted position, arm means connected to a portion of the second means spaced from the hinge assembly, third means connecting a portion of the arm means to the hinge assembly, and fourth means cooperating with the arm means and the second means for moving the second means from a retracted position to the extended position and holding the second means in the extended position, said fourth means including a cable connected to the second means and extended over the arm means and a winch for moving and holding the cable.

7. The fill pipe of claim 1 in combination with a distributor for spreading material discharged from said second means, and means for mounting the distributor on the second means.

8. The fill pipe of claim 1 including an upright member mounted on the end of the second means for directing material in a downward direction, a silage distributor located below said upright member, mount means releasably connecting the distributor to the upright member.

9. A fill pipe and distributor combination comprising: first means for directing moving material toward the center area of a silo, second means receiving the moving material from the first means for directing said material in a downwardly direction into the silo, a hinge assembly pivotally coupling the second means with the first means for movement to an extended position and to a retracted position, arm means connected to a portion of the second means spaced from the hinge means, third means pivotally mounting the mid-portion of the arm means on the hinge assembly, an upright member mounted on the end of the second means for directing material in a downward direction, a silage distributor located below said upright member, mount means releasably connecting the distributor to the upright member, means pivotally connecting one end of the arm means to the upright member, and fourth means cooperating with the arm means and the second means for moving the second means from a retracted position to the extended position and holding the second means in the extended position, said fourth means including a cable connected to the mount means and acting on the other end of the arm means to hold the distributor in assembled relation with the mount means and balance the distributor on the hinge assembly.

10. In combination: a fill pipe for directing moving material to the center area of a silo comprising first means having a passage for directing moving material toward the center area of a silo, end means receiving the moving material from the first means for directing said material in a downwardly direction into the center area of the silo, a hinge assembly pivotally connecting the end means with the discharge end of the first means for selective movement of the end means to an extended position and to a retracted position, distributor means located below the discharge end of the end means, a mount positioning the distributor means below the end means, a cable connected to the mount for holding the distributor below the end means and locating the end means in an extended position, said cable operable to move the distributor from the end means and permit movement of the end means from the extended position to the retracted position when the distributor means has been moved from the end means.

' 11. The combination of claim 10 including arm means connected to a portion of the end means spaced from the hinge assembly, pivot means mounting a mid-portion of the arm means on the hinge assembly, said cable cooperating with the arm means for holding the end means in an extended position.

12. The combination of claim 10 wherein said mount has a first member connected to the discharge end of the end means and a second member connected to the cable,

7 said second member being movable from the first member to lower the distributor means.

13. The combination of claim 10 wherein said mount comprises a first member having a passage with an open end, means on said first member having a first edge inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the passage, a second member having a portion of a size to telescope into said passage through the open end thereof, means on said second member having an inclined second edge having generally the same incline as said first edge, one of said first and second members mounted on the end means and the other of said members connected to the cable whereby when said first member is in assembled relation with the second member said first and second inclined edges are in face-to-face relative relationship.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/ 1966 Stoltzfus. 11/1967 Boppart et a1.

ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

